Computer-implemented method of performing a real-time collaboration session, collaborative platform for performing real-time collaboration sessions, and collaborative chat post object

ABSTRACT

A telecommunication device, apparatus, and a computer-implemented method of performing a real-time collaboration session with a plurality of participants can be configured so that a method can be performed. The method can include starting a chat application (e.g. a group chat application) for the participants of the real-time collaboration session; automatically creating, upon a first event being external or internal to the chat application, creating a collaborative chat post object (CCPO), for the session, authorizing the participants to edit the chat conversation content of the CCPO; and automatically sealing permanently the CCPO upon a second event being external or internal event to the chat application. For sealing the CCPO, the editable content of the CCPO can be converted into read-only content.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to European Patent ApplicationNo. EP 17189026.2, filed on Sep. 1, 2017. The entirety of thisapplication is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The present invention relates to a telecommunications system, atelecommunications device, a computer-implemented method of performing areal-time collaboration session, a collaborative platform for performingreal-time collaboration sessions, and a collaborative chat post objectthat can be utilizable in telecommunication systems.

BACKGROUND

Collaborative platforms are known which are used for, for example,performing telephone conferences via the Internet with a group ofparticipants which are located at different places. Such collaborativeplatforms can provide a group chat environment for the participants of aconference call or the like being able to communicate and collaborate ona common task.

Usually, a conference call is initiated by a person who also will be aparticipant of the following conversation or discussion and who selectsa number of participants to join the conference call for discussing aspecific issue. At the end of the conference call which duration may,for example, be preset, an agreement of the participants on a specifictopic or issue discussed in the conference call should be reached.

SUMMARY

I have determined that once agreement has been reached during aconference call, it would be desirable to obtain a written record on theoutcome of the conference call so that none of the participants canclaim it was finalized without him/her being aware of the content and orthe rules followed for the finalization of the content. However, incollaboration platform environments known from the prior art, this isproblematic since normal chat messages or posts in chats cannot be usedas record of an agreement for a couple of reasons. First of all, theyactually do belong to a single user or participant of the collaborationsession. Secondly, chats or posts are only modifiable by the originatorin the chat or the creator of the post. Thirdly, they can be potentiallymodified or even deleted after an agreement has been reached, and,therefore are not tamper-proof. Some embodiments of the presentinvention is based on the object to provide tamper-proof records ofreal-time collaboration sessions.

Accordingly, a computer-implemented method of performing a real-timecollaboration session with a plurality of participants is wherein themethod can include at least the following steps: starting a chatapplication (e.g., a group chat application), for the participants ofthe real-time collaboration session; automatically creating, upon afirst event being external or internal to the chat application, acollaborative chat post object (“CCPO”), for the real-time collaborationsession where the CCPO comprises information descriptive of theparticipants of the real-time collaboration session and chatconversation content generated by the participants; authorizing theparticipants of the real-time collaboration session to modify thecontent of the CCPO; automatically sealing the CCPO upon a second eventbeing external or internal event to the chat application wherein, forsealing the CCPO, the editable content of the CCPO is converted toread-only content. The first event may be, for example, the starting ofa conference call via the Internet which trigger the automatic creationof the CCPO (external event) or the explicit creation of a CCPO by oneof the participants (internal event).

By embodiments of the inventive method, a smart and business-orienteddocument control is enabled in the context of real-time collaborationsessions, as conference calls or the like. The minutes or any otherimportant notes or agreements made during the collaboration session aregathered synchronously during the session and/or asynchronously afterthe session, then the document comprising the information gathered issealed and tamper-proof so that it will not be possible to modify itscontent. The CCPO employed in the inventive method supports multipleworkflows, as mentioned above, meeting minutes or voting. For example,in the case of a voting procedure, once an agreement has been reached, arecord of this agreement is created which can be provided to allparticipants and which is tamper proof so that no modifications by anyof the participants are possible. Thus, the record or a documentcontaining the record is sealed.

According to a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises a stepof creating a document comprising the chat conversation content andbeing editable during the real-time collaboration session by theparticipants. Thereby, during the session, all participants are able tocontribute to a discussion and provide input which is gathered in thedocument. Such contribution can be facilitated by use of input andoutput devices connected to a computer device of each participant. Forinstance, a participant can utilize a display of his or her computerdevice (e.g. smart phone, laptop providing video call conferencingfunctionality, etc.) and provide content for a chat session viamanipulation of a touch screen feature of the display or a keyboardconnected to the computer device. The shared document can be managed bya server device that is connected to the computer devices of theparticipants to receive communications from the computer devices forupdating the shared document while also communicating the shred documentto those devices so that the text or other information of the documentis displayable via display devices of the devices.

According to another preferred embodiment, during the real-timecollaboration session, the document is shared among the participants,wherein all modifications made to the document by editing its content isvisible to all participants. Therefore, during the session, allparticipants are always able to follow the course of discussion andcontribute to it, if desired, accordingly so that an efficientcollaboration on a specific task is enabled. For instance, the shareddocument can be managed by a server device that is connected to thecomputer devices of the participants to receive communications from thecomputer devices for updating the shared document while alsocommunicating the shred document to those devices so that the text orother information of the document is displayable via display devices ofthe devices. As another example, the shared document can be managed byone of the participant's devices and that device can communicate withthe other participants' devices to receive information for updating orediting of the shared document (e.g. adding new content to a chatsession, etc.) while also providing information about the shareddocument so that the other participants' devices can display the contentof the document via a displays of the participants' devices.

The document may comprise the minutes of the real-time collaborationsession, and/or notes, and/or agreements of the participants. Suchcontent can be obtained via in different ways. For instance, suchcontent can be obtained via input received by participants during thereal-time collaboration session. For example, such content can beobtained via participants manually typing content for a chat session orfrom a microphone recording speaking of the participants andtranscribing that recorded audio into text. A central conference servermay perform the transcribing or each participants' device may performthe transcribing prior to providing the data to the device managing theshared document.

Further, the real-time collaboration session may be an Internet-basedconference call, a conference call using dial-in capabilities of aconference bridge, a group chat session where the participants arecommunicating using text messages. The real-time collaboration sessionmay also be other types of real-time communication sessions (e.g. videoconference call, telephone conference call that occurs in combinationwith a group chat session, etc.).

After the second event, the document can be sealed so that it isread-only such that the content of the document cannot be modified bythe participants after the second event. The second event may be, forexample, the reach of majority consensus, the reach of unanimity, theelapsing of a predetermined time period counted by a timer or the reachof a due date. Basically, however, the second event depends on the typethe CCPO.

Moreover, according to still another preferred embodiment, the step ofautomatically sealing the CCPO can be carried out according to a type ofthe CCPO selected at the time of creating the CCPO, wherein the type ofthe CCPO determines the condition after which no more modifications toits content, in particular, to the document are accepted, and wherein:

-   -   a first type of CCPO comprises the majority of the participants        having to accept a last modification of the document,    -   a second type of CCPO comprises all participants having to        accept the last modification of the document,    -   a third type of CCPO comprises a predetermined time period        having to elapse after the last modification of the document,        and    -   a fourth type of CCPO comprises a predetermined date having to        be reached.

As mentioned above, the type of the CCPO will trigger the second eventaccordingly. For example, if all participants have reached an agreementaccording to the second type of CCPO, then the second event will be, forexample, counting all votes of the participants of the collaborationsession as being positive or “yes”.

According to another preferred embodiment, the participants of thecollaborative session, including the initiator, are not authorized todelete the CCPO. Therefore, the record of a collaboration session is notonly tamper-proof but also is unerasable.

A participant of the real-time collaboration session may create the CCPOexplicitly or the CCPO may be created automatically when for example aconference call is initiated (implicit creation).

Further, the type modification mode must be specified in the step ofcreating the CCPO, and the type modification mode is not modifiableafter having been selected. This enhances the undeniability of thecontent of the tamper-proof record of a collaboration session.

According to still a further embodiment, a type modification mode isspecified at the time of creating the CCPO, the type modification modebeing any one of a first type modification mode not allowing the type ofthe CCPO to be changed after it has been created, a second typemodification mode allowing the type of the CCPO be changed if a majorityof the participants or owners of the CCPO have agreed to changing thetype of the CCPO, and a third type modification mode allowing the typeof the CCPO to be changed only if all of the participants or owners haveagreed to changing the type of the CCPD.

According to the invention, a collaborative platform for performingreal-time collaboration sessions is provided, the platform being adaptedto carry out the method of performing a real-time collaboration sessionwith a plurality of participants.

Further, according to the invention, a collaborative chat post object(CCPO) is provided being created for the real-time collaboration sessionaccording to the method of performing a real-time collaboration sessionwith a plurality of participants.

Further features, objects, advantages, and details of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following description ofspecific embodiments of the invention and respective illustration in theappended drawings. Obviously, features, objects, advantages, and detailsof a specific embodiment, its variations and modifications mutatismutandis apply to other embodiments, variations and modifications unlesssuch application obviously violates technical constraints or laws ofnature. Embodiments may be combined with each other, and any combinationof an embodiment with another embodiment as a whole or in terms ofsingle features thereof may be assumed to constitute an embodiment ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of a telecommunications device, apparatus, andsystem and methods of making and using the same are shown in theaccompanying drawings. The drawings include FIG. 1, which illustrates anexemplary process by which a tamper-proof object can be generated via anexemplary telecommunication apparatus. The drawings also include FIG. 2,which is a schematic view of an exemplary telecommunications apparatus.

A key of reference indicia included in FIGS. 1 and 2 1 is providedbelow:

1—CCPO

2, 2′, 2″, 2′″—participants to a conference call (participating viaparticipant devices that each include a processor connected tonon-transitory memory, at least one receiver, and at least onetransmitter)

3, 3′—document

A, B, C, n—owners

S1, S2, S3, S4—steps

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a sequence according to which a sealed tamper-proofCCPO 1 is created according to an embodiment of the computer-implementedmethod of performing a real-time collaboration session with a pluralityof participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″. The symbol “′″” in FIG. 1 indicatesthat any number of participants can be additionally included. Eachparticipant can participate in a telecommunications real-timecollaboration session with a communication device that includeshardware. Examples of such communication devices include laptopcomputers, smart phones, desktop phones, tablets, desktop computers, andother types of communication terminal devices. Each participant devicecan include a processor connected to non-transitory memory, at least onereceiver, and at least one transmitter. A receiver and a transmitter canbe present as a transceiver in some embodiments. (e.g. a cellularconnection transceiver, a wireless local area network transceiver, anear field communication transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, etc.).Each participant device can also include one or more input devices,output devices and/or input/output devices (e.g. a keypad, a keyboard, adisplay, a touch screen display, a pointer, a stylus, a microphone, acamera, etc.).

As can be seen here, after a chat application which may be a groupapplication has been started so that a plurality of participants areable to perform a real-time collaboration session via theircommunication devices. The chat application can be run or hosted by aplatform in some embodiments, as can be appreciated from FIG. 2. Theplatform can include one or more server computer devices that arecommunicatively connectable to participant devices (e.g. via a networkconnection, an internet connection, a large area network connection, acombination of network connections, etc.). Each server computer device(referred to in FIG. 2 as “server”) can include a processor connected tonon-transitory memory as well as other hardware (e.g. at least onereceiver, at least one transmitter, etc.).

FIG. 2 illustrates the platform as includes a single server. But, itshould be appreciated that the platform can include multiple servers.For instance, a platform can include a first server for hosting a chatapplication and a second server for generation and management of a CCPOthat is communicatively connectable to the first server so that thefirst and second server can collaboratively operate in conjunction witha real-time collaboration session to provide services to theparticipants via the participant's communication devices to which theservers are communicatively connected.

As can be seen in the exemplary method shown in FIG. 1, in a first stepS1, a first event which may be either external to the chat applicationstarted or internal, triggers the automatic ad hoc creation of a CCPO 1for that real-time collaboration session. The first event may be, forexample, the initiation of a conference call. The conference call may behosted by a participant device or a conference call management device(e.g. a conference call server having a processor connected tonon-transitory memory as well as other hardware and/or a group chatsupporting server that hosts the group chat session component of theconference call (the group chat supporting server having hardware thatincludes at least one processor connected to non-transitory memory andis configured for communicatively connecting to the participantdevices), etc.).

At creation time, the CCPO 1 is assigned a type and a type modificationmode. The type of the CCPO 1 determines when the CCPO 1 does not acceptany more modifications and will be sealed. Basically, there are fourtypes of the CCPO 1:

A first type, named a “majority type”, requires that the CCPO 1 will besealed as soon as the majority of the owners A, B, C . . . n orparticipants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ have accepted the last contentmodification. A second type, named an “unanimous type”, requires thatthe CCPO 1 will be sealed as soon as all the owners A, B, C . . . n orparticipants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ have accepted the last contentmodification. A third type, named an “implicit type I” requires sealingafter a specific amount of time has passed after the last contentmodification, and a fourth type, named “implicit type II” requiressealing after a specific date has been reached.

The type of CCPO 1 may be changed during the collaboration session asoutlined further below. With respect to the first and second CCPO types,if an owner A, B, C . . . n or participant 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ modifiesthe CCPO 1 after one or more of the other owners A, B, C . . . n orparticipants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ have already casted a vote, the alreadycasted votes are cancelled and the voting process starts again. Withrespect to the third type, if an owner A, B, C . . . n or participant 2,2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ modifies the CCPO 1, a timer that counts towards theimplicit acceptance time is reset. With respect to the fourth type, anyof the owners A, B, C . . . n or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ maymodify the CCPO 1 before the specified date.

Further, there are several CCPO type modification modes according towhich the type of the CCPO 1 may or may not be changed. Namely, the typeof the CCPO 1 may or may not be changed after the CCPO 1 has beencreated depending on the type modification mode that has been explicitlyspecified at creation time. Possible type modification modes are a firsttype modification mode, also named “locked type modification mode”which, when selected, does not allow for the type of the CCPO 1 everbeing changed after having been created, a second type modificationmode, also named “majority type modification mode” which allows for thetype of the CCPO 1 being changed if a majority of owners A, B, C . . . nor participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ agree to the change, and a thirdtype modification mode, also named “unanimous type modification mode”allowing for the type of the CCPO 1 being changed if all owners A, B, C. . . n or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ agree to the change.

The CCPO 1 generated thereupon comprises information on all participants2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ which, as already mentioned above, are so-called“owners” A, B, C . . . n of the CCPO 1 and which are allowed to modifythe CCPO 1 which at this stage is editable or comprises an editabledocument 3. In a further step S2, the owners or participants 2, 2′, 2″ .. . 2′″ collaborate on the content of CCPO 1, i.e., notes may be made,questions may be posed and answered, suggestions may be written into theeditable document 3, etc. Since the content of the CCPO 1 or theeditable document 3 is visible to all participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″,they all are able to follow the collaboration session in real-time orasynchronously and contribute to it accordingly.

After, in a further step S3, a task to be solved in the collaborationsession is eventually solved by the participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″, orafter an agreement has been reached on a specific topic of thecollaboration session, corresponding to either the first type of theCCPO according to which the majority of the participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . .2′″ have to accept the last modification of the document 3, or to thesecond type of the CCPO according to which all participants 2, 2′, 2″ .. . 2′″ have to accept the last modification of the document 3, the CCPO1 will be automatically sealed in a further step S4.

A sealing mechanism will then convert the editable content or editabledocument 3 into read-only content or a read-only document 3′. Theread-only content or document 3′ is provided to all owners A, B, C, . .. , n or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ of the CCPO 1, respectively,who, however, are not able to modify the content after the sealing.Thereby, a tamper-proof record of the collaboration session, comprisingfor example, the minutes or the result of the collaboration session, canbe provided to all participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″. The sealingmechanism can be run by the device that hosts or manages the CCPO forthe collaboration session (e.g. a participant device that may run ormanage the CCPO, a central server device that may facilitate or run thecollaboration session, a server device that may manage the sharing of adocument during the collaboration session, etc.).

Further features of the CCPO are outlined below. The CCPO may beco-owned by a whole group of participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ of acollaboration session or only by a subgroup of that group, for example,comprising only the participants 2 and 2′. In some embodiments, theco-owning can be an assignment identifier defined in the CCPO by adevice that generates the CCPO during a collaboration session.

In some embodiments, the owners A, B, C . . . n or participants 2, 2′,2″ . . . 2′″ of the CCPO 1 cannot be modified after the CCPO 1 has beencreated. In other embodiments, the CCPO 1 may not be modifiable afterthe CCPO is sealed (e.g. made so that its content is read only andunchangeable after sealing).

If the CCPO 1 was explicitly created by one of the group members(namely, either one of owners A, B, C . . . n or participants 2, 2′, 2″. . . 2′″), the creator of the CCPO 1 may not have any additionalpermissions or privileges with respect to the CCPO 1 compared to theother owners A, B, C . . . n or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ basedon the generation of the CCPO 1 and the assignment of permissionsdefined in the generated CCPO 1.

In some embodiments, the owners A, B, C . . . n or participants 2, 2′,2″ . . . 2′″ of the CCPO 1 may initially modify its content. Any contentmodification changes to the CCPO 1 are visible to all owners A, B, C . .. n or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ of the CCPO 1. Any comments orother modifications to the CCPO 1 may also be made by other owners orparticipants in response to viewing the modification of the CCPO 1 madeby another person. It should be understood that content modificationchanges can be made via the owners or participants using theirrespective communication devices as discussed herein.

The CCPO 1 will become read-only after a second internal or externalevent depending on the type of the CCPO 1, as outlined above. Once theCCPO 1 is read-only neither its content nor its type can be modified byany of the owners A, B, C . . . n or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″.

In some embodiments, the CCPO 1 can be created and defined such that theowners A, B, C . . . n or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ of the CCPO 1cannot delete the CCPO 1 itself. Also, the creating and defining of theCCPO 1 can be performed such that the owners A, B, C . . . , n orparticipants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ of the CCPO 1 cannot modify the CCPOtype modification mode specified at creation time.

In the following, two exemplary examples for creating a CCPO 1 aregiven.

EXAMPLE 1

The first example refers to a CCPO 1 being created by an external event,the initiation of a conference call, and comprising the minutes of ameeting (MoM) object that is storeable in non-transitory memory of atleast one communication device (e.g. a server, a participantcommunication device, etc.). When a conference call, for example, aconference call via the Internet using a corresponding application runon participant devices and supported by a central server device, isstarted, a conference object is created that includes the 2, 2′, 2″ . .. 2′″ of the conversation that participate in the conference call. ACCPO 1 is automatically created by the application (e.g., Circuit)according to third type with a time limit of two days (i.e., implicitsealing after a specific amount of time) and with a first typemodification mode (e.g. “locked type modification mode”). The CCPO 1allows only the conference participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ to capturethe minutes of the meeting of the conference and collaboratively editthem. Because of the CCPO 1 configuration, the minutes of the meetingwill be automatically sealed two days after the last modification. Eachtime one of the owners A, B, C . . . n′ or participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . .2′″ make a modification the elapsed time is reset and the count towardthe two days starts over. In response to modification of the CCPO 1 thatmay occur, a communication to communication devices of otherparticipants can be transmitted to make the other participants aware ofthe changed content to facilitate their review so that any furtherchanges that they may deem needed due to the modification of the CCPO 1can be made. After each such modification, a communication to allparticipants or the other non-modifying participants can be sent tofacilitate a review and comment on each change to help ensuretransparency and help ensure group agreement on the changes.

The CCPO object owners A, B, C . . . n′ will be the participants 2, 2′,2″ . . . 2′″ of the specific conference. For any other conference in thesame conversation (e.g., Circuit conversation), there will be adifferent CCPO 1. Each CCPO 1 may potentially have different owners A,B, C . . . n depending on who participated in each conference.

EXAMPLE 2

The second example refers to the CCPO 1 being created by an internalevent. In a conversation, for example, a Circuit conversation, one ofthe participants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ explicitly creates a CCPO 1 andadds some or all of the conversation participants as owners of the CCPO.The creator sets the type to the fourth type, namely, implicit sealingafter reaching a certain date, the target date being Dec. 14, 2016.Further, the type modification mode is selected to be the second typemodification mode (e.g. “majority type modification mode”).

The creator asks the owners A, B, C . . . , n or participants 2, 2′, 2″. . . 2′″ to jointly create a set of requirements for a problem theywant to tackle. Any of the owners A, B, C . . . , n or participants 2,2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ added to the CCPO 1 at creation time can contribute andedit the content. The CCPO 1 will be automatically sealed on the targetdate of Dec. 14, 2016.

Before the due date, the majority of the owners A, B, C . . . , n orparticipants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ agree that they want to change the typeof the CCPO 1 to the second type (“unanimous type”). The CCPO 1 will nowmodified by the change in definition of the CCPO type so that the CCOP 1can be sealed only after all the owners A, B, C . . . , n orparticipants 2, 2′, 2″ . . . 2′″ have explicitly agreed on the contentand the target date of Dec. 14, 2016 is no longer relevant. The changingof the CCPO type can be facilitated via the participants utilizing theircommunication devices to provide data to the device managing the CCPO toeffect changes to the permissions or other features of the initiallydefined and created CCPO.

It should be appreciated that different embodiments of atelecommunication device, apparatus, and/or system can utilize differentarrangements to meet a particular set of design criteria. For instance,it should be appreciated that some components, features, and/orconfigurations may be described in connection with only one particularembodiment, but these same components, features, and/or configurationscan be applied or used with many other embodiments and should beconsidered applicable to the other embodiments, unless stated otherwiseor unless such a component, feature, and/or configuration is technicallyimpossible to use with the other embodiment. Thus, the components,features, and/or configurations of the various embodiments can becombined together in any manner and such combinations are expresslycontemplated and disclosed by this statement. Therefore, while certainexemplary embodiments of a telecommunications device, apparatus, andsystem, and methods of making and using the same have been shown anddescribed above, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention isnot limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied andpracticed within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer-implemented method of performing areal-time collaboration session comprising: starting a chat applicationfor the participants of the real-time collaboration session;automatically creating, upon a first event being external or internal tothe chat application, a collaborative chat post object (CCPO) for thereal-time collaboration session, the CCPO being storeable innon-transitory memory, the CCPO comprising information descriptive ofthe participants of the real-time collaboration session and chatconversation content generated by the participants, the creating of theCCPO defining a type for the CCPO that defines a condition forsubsequent sealing of the CCPO that requires at least a majority of theparticipants to approve content of the CCPO to seal the CCPO ;authorizing the participants of the real-time collaboration session toedit the chat conversation content of the CCPO via their communicationdevices; and automatically sealing the CCPO permanently upon a secondevent being external or internal event to the chat application, whereinthe editable content of the CCPO is converted to read-only content forsealing the CCPO, the automatic sealing of the CCPO occurring such that:in response to the editable content of the CCPO changing while some ofthe participants had voted to approve the editable content of the CCPOand before a required number of participants voted to approve theeditable content for sealing of the CCPO, cancelling the votes cast toapprove the editable content of the CCPO and restarting a voting processto approve the editable content of the CCPO, and the automatic sealingoccurring after the restarting of the voting process occurs and at leasta majority of the participants voted in the restarted voting process toapprove the editable content of the CCPO.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the method further comprises: creating a document storeable innon-transitory memory as a component of the CCPO, the created documentcomprising the chat conversation content and being editable during thereal-time collaboration session by the participants.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein during the real-time collaboration session, thedocument is shared among the participants via their communicationdevices such that all modifications made to the document by editing itscontent is visible to all participants via their communication devices.4. The method of claim 3, wherein the document comprises minutes of thereal-time collaboration session, and/or notes, and/or agreements of theparticipants.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-timecollaboration session includes an Internet-based conference call betweenthe participants that is ongoing while the group chat application isrun.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein after the second event, thedocument is read-only such that the content of the document cannot bemodified by the participants after the second event.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the type of the CCPO is one of: a first type of theCCPO in which a majority of the participants (have to accept a lastmodification of the document; and a second type of the CCPO in which allparticipants have to accept the last modification of the document sothat each and every one of the participants accepts the lastmodification of the document.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the CCPOis defined such that the participants of the conference are notauthorized to delete the CCPO.
 9. The method of claim 8, whereincreation of the CCPO is initiated via a communication device of aparticipant of the real-time collaboration session.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the type of the CCPO is specified in the creating theCCPO such that the type of the CCPO is subsequently modifiable afterbeing selected.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein a type modificationmode is specified at the time of creating the CCPO, the typemodification mode being selectable from one of: a first typemodification mode not allowing the type of the CCPO to be changed afterit has been created, a second type modification mode allowing the typeof the CCPO to be changed after a majority of the participants havecommunicated agreement for changing the type of the CCPO, and a thirdtype modification mode allowing the type of the CCPO to be changed onlyafter all of the participants have communicated agreement to changingthe type of the CCPO.
 12. A collaborative platform for performingreal-time collaboration sessions, the platform having a non-transitorycomputer readable medium having code stored thereon that defines amethod that is performed by the platform when a processor of theplatform runs the code, the method comprising: starting a chatapplication for participants of a real-time collaboration session;automatically creating, upon a first event being external or internal tothe chat application, a collaborative chat post object (CCPO) for thereal-time collaboration session, the CCPO being storeable innon-transitory memory, the CCPO comprising information descriptive ofthe participants of the real-time collaboration session and chatconversation content generated by the participants, the creating of theCCPO defining a type for the CCPO that defines a condition forsubsequent sealing of the CCPO that requires at least a majority of theparticipants to approve content of the CCPO to seal the CCPO ;authorizing the participants of the real-time collaboration session toedit the chat conversation content of the CCPO via their communicationdevices; and automatically sealing the CCPO permanently upon a secondevent being external or internal event to the chat application, whereinthe editable content of the CCPO is converted to read-only content forsealing the CCPO, the automatic sealing of the CCPO occurring such that:in response to the editable content of the CCPO changing while some ofthe participants had voted to approve the editable content of the CCPOand before a required number of participants voted to approve theeditable content for sealing of the CCPO, cancelling the votes cast toapprove the editable content of the CCPO and restarting a voting processto approve the editable content of the CCPO, and the automatic sealingoccurring after the restarting of the voting process occurs and at leasta majority of the participants voted in the restarted voting process toapprove the editable content of the CCPO.
 13. The platform of claim 12,wherein the method further comprises: creating a document storeable innon-transitory memory that is associated with the CCPO, the createddocument comprising the chat conversation content, the chat conversationcontent of the document being editable during the real-timecollaboration session by the participants.
 14. The platform of claim 13,wherein during the real-time collaboration session, the document isshared among the participants by the platform communicating data of thedocument to communication devices of the participants such that allmodifications made to the document by editing its content is visible toall participants via their communication devices.
 15. The platform ofclaim 14, wherein the document comprises minutes of the real-timecollaboration session, and/or notes, and/or agreements of theparticipants.
 16. The platform of claim 14, wherein the real-timecollaboration session includes an Internet-based conference call betweenthe participants that is ongoing while the group chat application isrun.
 17. The platform of claim 14, wherein after the second event, theplatform adjusts the document associated with the CCPO so that thedocument is a component of the CCPO and is read-only such that thecontent of the document cannot be modified by the participants after thesecond event.
 18. The platform of claim 17, wherein the type of the CCPOis selectable from one of: a first type of the CCPO in which a majorityof the participants (have to accept a last modification of the document;and a second type of the CCPO in which all participants have to acceptthe last modification of the document so that each and every one of theparticipants accepts the last modification of the document.
 19. Theplatform of claim 17, wherein a type modification mode is specified atthe time of creating the CCPO, the type modification mode is selectablefrom one of: a first type modification mode not allowing the type of theCCPO to be changed after it has been created, a second type modificationmode allowing the type of the CCPO to be changed after a majority of theparticipants have communicated agreement for changing the type of theCCPO, and a third type modification mode allowing the type of the CCPOto be changed only after all of the participants have communicatedagreement to changing the type of the CCPO.
 20. The platform of claim14, wherein the CCPO is defined when the CCPO is created such that theparticipants of the conference are not authorized to delete the CCPOafter the CCPO is created and creation of the type of the CCPO isspecified in the creating the CCPO such that the type of the CCPO issubsequently modifiable after being selected.